This disclosure relates to gas turbine engines, and more particularly to combustor panels for a combustor of a gas turbine engine.
A gas turbine engine typically includes a compressor which compresses and directs an airflow to a combustor. At the combustor, the airflow is mixed with fuel and ignited. Post-combustor, the airflow is utilized to drive a turbine.
Combustors utilize panels offset from a combustor shell to define cooling pathways to protect itself from the heat of combustion. Current combustor panels typical overlap with each other to define a slot through which an airflow can be directed for film cooling of downstream panels. The panels are coated with a thermally-protective material which may have a tapered thickness at the ends of the combustor panels to maintain proper assembly fits and clearances, as well as to maintain a desired flow area through the slot.
Emerging coating systems have advanced microstructure, and cannot be tapered without risk of chipping, spalling, reduced oxidation resistance capability or other negative effects. At the same time, the taper is needed to maintain the assembly fits and clearances and flow area.